Author
Topic: Blichmann Hop Blocker (Read 12616 times)

I bought a 20 gallon Boiler Maker as well as the Hop Blocker. To be totally honest it seems to work as advertised. I am also using a Jamil whirlpool chiller as well. After the chill down, I let the wort sit for about 15-20 minutes and then drain pretty darn clear wort. The trick is remembering to raise the gate near the end of the rack before you lose the siphon. And no, that operation does not require you to touch the chilled and sanitized wort.

Previously I had been using a 15 gallon pot with a false bottom and a counter flow chiller. I used to bag my pellet hops and let the whole hops free. Now I just use pellets (side benefit is they are more plentiful and cost less) and just dump them in. I am getting better hop flavor and aroma now, and with the Hop Blocker and the chilled wort I am getting clearer wort to the fermenter. I never used to have problems before, but I am now starting to brew more lagers, so I wanted to try and keep more hop and trub out of the fermenter.

I use the paint strainer just like a a tea bag as stated. I took a piece of PVC pipe, drilled holes in it for some rubar, and use a worm clamp to hold the bag in place. I just let it sit on top of the kettle, the rubar holds it up, and the bag drops into the wort. But, by all means, if the hopblocker works for you, you should get it. I'm a big Blichmann fan, its just that this doesn;t work for me since I prefer whole leaf hops.

I took a piece of PVC pipe, drilled holes in it for some rubar, and use a worm clamp to hold the bag in place. I just let it sit on top of the kettle, the rubar holds it up, and the bag drops into the wort.

I was _this close_ to building one of those, but I couldn't figure out how it would work with an immersion chiller. To be perfectly honest, like Jim said, I don't have an issue with pellet hops just going in to the fermenter. I use a hop bag for whole hops.

I bought a 20 gallon Boiler Maker as well as the Hop Blocker. To be totally honest it seems to work as advertised. I am also using a Jamil whirlpool chiller as well. After the chill down, I let the wort sit for about 15-20 minutes and then drain pretty darn clear wort. The trick is remembering to raise the gate near the end of the rack before you lose the siphon. And no, that operation does not require you to touch the chilled and sanitized wort.

Previously I had been using a 15 gallon pot with a false bottom and a counter flow chiller. I used to bag my pellet hops and let the whole hops free. Now I just use pellets (side benefit is they are more plentiful and cost less) and just dump them in. I am getting better hop flavor and aroma now, and with the Hop Blocker and the chilled wort I am getting clearer wort to the fermenter. I never used to have problems before, but I am now starting to brew more lagers, so I wanted to try and keep more hop and trub out of the fermenter.

Bottom line, I am happy with the performance of the Hop Blocker.

For what my opinion is worth, excess trub in the fermenter does not translate into hazy lagers. My pils are as clear as a commercial version in spite of what most would consider to be too much trub in the fermenter.

I took a piece of PVC pipe, drilled holes in it for some rubar, and use a worm clamp to hold the bag in place. I just let it sit on top of the kettle, the rubar holds it up, and the bag drops into the wort.

I was _this close_ to building one of those, but I couldn't figure out how it would work with an immersion chiller. To be perfectly honest, like Jim said, I don't have an issue with pellet hops just going in to the fermenter. I use a hop bag for whole hops.

It's been a long time since I saw your brew setup, but weren't using a hop sack before. You must have replaced that "custom" dip tube with the perforations to be needing hop sacks now? Doesn't sound quite as "cheap and easy" of a setup these days!

roguejim says, "For what my opinion is worth, excess trub in the fermenter does not translate into hazy lagers. My pils are as clear as a commercial version in spite of what most would consider to be too much trub in the fermenter."I don't think the issue is about trub causing clarity issues. It's more about the perception of flavor issues. I think my lagers have improved since I'v been able to leave the cold break in the kettle and out of the fermenter.I whirlpool my wort, use a counterflow back to the ketttle, and built a little diverter gate at the bottom in front of the wort-out drain to keep the hops from clogging the pump. It works real well with any kind of hops.

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Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)Homebrewing since 1990AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member BJCP judge since 1995

It's been a long time since I saw your brew setup, but weren't using a hop sack before. You must have replaced that "custom" dip tube with the perforations to be needing hop sacks now? Doesn't sound quite as "cheap and easy" of a setup these days!

I stater having problems with my center pickup with the holes drilled in it and went to side pickup. That's when I started using bags. I kinda prefer them...I think it makes cleanup easier.

roguejim says, "For what my opinion is worth, excess trub in the fermenter does not translate into hazy lagers. My pils are as clear as a commercial version in spite of what most would consider to be too much trub in the fermenter."I don't think the issue is about trub causing clarity issues. It's more about the perception of flavor issues. I think my lagers have improved since I'v been able to leave the cold break in the kettle and out of the fermenter.I whirlpool my wort, use a counterflow back to the ketttle, and built a little diverter gate at the bottom in front of the wort-out drain to keep the hops from clogging the pump. It works real well with any kind of hops.

A guy on the B&V board tested this theory a few years back by splitting a batch and removing trub from only half of it. He found the half with the trub was clearer and tasted better. Here are his results...

I remember reading that. I wonder if it makes any difference if it's an ale or a lager? He didn't mention what sort of beer was in his experiment. I like my trub-free lagers, but I could probably run the same experiment one day and see for myself.

Logged

Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)Homebrewing since 1990AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member BJCP judge since 1995

I remember reading that. I wonder if it makes any difference if it's an ale or a lager? He didn't mention what sort of beer was in his experiment. I like my trub-free lagers, but I could probably run the same experiment one day and see for myself.

Yeah, it also sounds like an extra piece of equipment that you don't really need. I just don;t have any problems with hops getting into the fermenter. Sure, some do. But just not enough to worry about. That said, I have a simple, home made diverter plate that keeps about 95% of the hops out of the fermenter (if not more). Way cheaper than another piece of equipment and probably just about as effective.